Apparatus and method for transferring liquid over an obstacle

ABSTRACT

Apparatuses and methods for allowing a liquid to pass over an obstacle, comprising: a generally trapeze shaped inlet platform for allowing liquid to enter from the wide-front side, having two side walls for deflecting said liquid and narrow-back side for allowing said liquid to exit; a generally trapeze shaped outlet platform for allowing liquid to enter from the narrow-front side, having two side walls for deflecting said liquid and wide-back side for allowing said liquid to be disposed; an elevated duct connecting said inlet to said outlet having a front side in the same width of the inlet narrow-back side and a back side in the same width of the narrow-front side of the outlet; an attachment means allowing attachment to said obstacle, wherein liquid is shoveled to said inlet and disposed through said outlet.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to apparatus and methods for collecting and disposing of liquid.

2. Description of Related Art

An integral part of the cleaning process of a floor consists of washing it with water and later disposing of the dirty water by shoveling them using a shoveling apparatus, for example a squeegee, through a door or some other opening. However, many apartments and facilities lack access to a suitable opening for the disposal of the water, for example when a sliding door rail is deflecting the water and does not allow the disposal through the opening.

A great number of apartments and facilities have a balcony that can function for water disposal as they are planned to lead rain water to a garden or sewage. However, such balconies usually are closed using a sliding door or window having an elevated rail to prevent water from going into the apartment hence not allowing the water to pass from one side to the other.

Hence, an improved apparatus and methods for collecting and disposing of liquid is still a long felt need.

BRIEF SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the present invention, a liquid passage apparatus, for transferring liquid over an obstacle is provided, comprising: a generally trapeze shaped inlet platform for allowing liquid to enter from the wide-front side, having two side walls for deflecting said liquid and narrow-back side for allowing said liquid to exit; a generally trapeze shaped outlet platform for allowing liquid to enter from the narrow-front side, having two side walls for deflecting said liquid and wide-back side for allowing said liquid to be disposed; an elevated duct connecting said inlet to said outlet having a front side in the same width of the inlet narrow-back side and a back side in the same width of the narrow-front side of the outlet; an attachment means allowing attachment to said obstacle, wherein liquid is shoveled to said inlet and disposed through said outlet.

It is further within the provision of the invention to be provided wherein at least one of said generally trapeze shaped platform walls is a polygon.

It is further within the provision of the invention to further comprise non-rigid connectors between said platforms and duct.

It is further within the provision of the invention to further comprise rubber rim connected to said wide-front side of the inlet platform.

It is further within the provision of the invention to be provided wherein said obstacle is a rail of a sliding door or window.

It is further within the provision of the invention to be provided wherein said attachment means are designed to be placed in a rail of a sliding door or window. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising at least two lateral handles for carrying the apparatus.

It is further within the provision of the invention to be provided wherein said rubber rim is removably connected to said wide-front side of the inlet platform using a connector.

It is further within the provision of the invention to be provided wherein said connector comprise two sides wherein at least one side comprise a male or female rail profile adapted to connect to an opposite male or female rail of said rubber rim or said wide-front side of the inlet platform.

It is further within the provision of the invention to be provided wherein said rubber rim and said wide-front side of the inlet platform each further comprise male rail profile adapted to connect to said connector female rail profile.

It is further within the provision of the invention to further comprise at least one modular elevation leg.

It is further within the provision of the invention to be provided wherein said modular elevation leg is attached to an element selected from the group consisting of: said inlet, said outlet and said duct.

It is further within the provision of the invention to be provided wherein said modular elevation leg comprise a non-removable basic elevation module and at least one more elevation modules.

Another aspect of the invention comprise a method for transferring water over an obstacle comprising steps of: providing a generally trapeze shaped inlet for allowing liquid to enter from the wide-front side; providing two side walls for deflecting said liquid; providing narrow-back side for allowing said liquid to exit; providing a means for disposing of liquid in the form of a generally trapeze shaped outlet platform allowing liquid to enter from the narrow-front side and exiting through the wide back side; providing means for attaching to said obstacle; wherein said duct is elevated to allow placement of apparatus over an obstacle.

These, additional, and/or other aspects and/or advantages of the present invention are: set forth in the detailed description which follows; possibly inferable from the detailed description; and/or learnable by practice of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to understand the invention and to see how it may be implemented in practice, a plurality of embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in view from above;

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in a side view;

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in a bottom view;

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the invention in view from above;

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of the connector of the invention; and

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of the elevation leg of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is provided, alongside all chapters of the present invention, so as to enable any person skilled in the art to make use of said invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out this invention. Various modifications, however, will remain apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined specifically to provide a means and method for providing a system and method for biogas and fertilizer production.

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will understand that such embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. Furthermore just as every particular reference may embody particular methods, systems, yet not require such, ultimately such teaching is meant for all expressions notwithstanding the use of particular embodiments. Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention.

The term ‘plurality’ refers hereinafter to any positive integer (e.g, 1,5, or 10).

The invention may comprise an apparatus designed to assist in passing liquid over an obstacle. In an embodiment of the invention said apparatus may comprise an inlet for intake of liquid, in liquid connection to a connecting duct that is in turn in liquid connection to an outlet for disposing of said liquid. Side walls may be provided in order to prevent the liquid from leaking or dripping from the sides of the apparatus and in order deflect said liquid to and from the connecting duct.

An exampletory use of the apparatus of the invention may allow a house keeper to clean an apartment having a balcony divided from the inside of the apartment by a sliding door having a rail wherein the rail is erecting from floor level hence not allowing the water to flow to the balcony. The house keeper may use the apparatus to overcome the erected obstacle by placing the apparatus above it, shoveling the water to inlet platform and using the momentum of the shoveling to allow the water to climb up the inlet platform and reach the duct from which it will flow to the other side of the obstacle and be disposed on the outside of the apartment through the balcony.

The main elements of some embodiments of the invention are presented in FIGS. 1-4.

Referring now to FIG. 1 a generally trapeze shaped inlet 101 having a wide side facing outward, a rubber rim 105 and walls 104 are presented. Said configuration is provided for the collecting of shoveled liquid and deflecting it to a duct 102 which in turn leads the liquid to a generally trapeze shaped outlet 103 in a generally reversed shape for disposing thereof.

In some embodiments of the invention the apparatus may be used, as can be seen in FIG. 2, for shoveling water over a rail of a sliding door or window 203. The water may shoveled using a squeegee on the floor's surface 202 and to the front wide side of the apparatus' generally trapeze shaped inlet 101. A rubber rim 105 may be attached to the wide side of the generally trapeze shaped inlet 101 in order to allow easer and in some cases more efficient liquid collecting.

In some embodiments of the invention the connection between the generally trapeze shaped inlet 101, the duct 102 and the generally trapeze shaped outlet 103 may be non-rigid, semi-rigid or flexible in order to allow the use of the apparatus of the invention above obstacles of varying heights and shapes (such as the rail of a sliding door or window 203), while allowing to keep a liquid connection between the parts.

In some embodiments of the invention the obstacle may be in the floor/ground level or even lower than the ground level.

Attachment means may be provided to allow the placement and attachment of the apparatus over a panel 201 that may be located under the duct 102.

After entering the generally trapeze shaped platform inlet 101 the liquid may be deflected from the side walls 104 and flows to the elevated duct 102 using the momentum of shoveling to the inlet. From the elevated duct 102 the liquid may continue his journey and enter from the narrow front side and exit through the wide back side 103.

Said non-rigid connections between the generally trapeze shaped inlet 101, duct 102 and generally trapeze shaped outlet 103 allow modulation of the angle between them and placement of the apparatus over obstacles of varying height.

In some embodiments of the invention a rubber rim 105 may be connected to the wide end of the generally trapeze shaped inlet 101, allowing easier collection of liquid and in some cases more efficiently.

As presented in FIG. 4, in some embodiments of the invention said generally trapeze shaped inlet may be a-symmetrical 403 (in oppose to the symmetrical platform presented in FIG. 1. 101). The generally trapeze shaped inlet may be a polygon or a freeform comprising straight and curved edges as well as the walls that may be surrounding it.

Similarly, said generally trapeze shaped outlet may be symmetrical as presented in FIG. 1 103 or a-symmetrical as presented in FIG. 4. 404. The generally trapeze shaped outlet may be a polygon or a freeform comprising straight and curved edges as well as the walls that may be surrounding it.

In some embodiments of the invention, said duct 102 may be symmetrical or asymmetrical. The duct may be a polygon or a freeform comprising straight and curved edges.

In some embodiments of the invention, said walls 104 are located on both sides of the generally trapeze shaped inlet 101 and/or outlet 103 and may be symmetrical or asymmetrical. The walls can be straight 104, rounded 401, arched, curved or angled 402, with varying height and varying length.

In some embodiments of the invention, handles 106 are located on either side of the duct 102 and/or duct walls 104, for allowing the carrying of the apparatus.

FIG. 1. is a top view of an embodiment of the apparatus, presenting a generally trapeze shaped inlet 101, a connecting duct 102, a generally trapeze shaped outlet 103, a bilateral wall 104, a rubber rim 105 and handles 106 can be seen.

FIG. 2. is a side view of an embodiment of the apparatus. One may observe that since the duct 102 is placed on an obstacle 203 higher than the floor level 202, the platforms 101/103 creating an up slope and a down slope to the and from the floor while keeping the duct elevated.

FIG. 3. depicts an embodiment of the invention in a bottom view. A generally trapeze shaped inlet 101, a connecting duct 102, a generally trapeze shaped outlet 103, a rubber rim 105 and panel 201 can be seen.

FIG. 4. present an embodiment of the invention in from above, a generally trapeze shaped inlet 101, a connecting duct 102, a generally trapeze shaped outlet 103, a bilateral rounded wall 401, a angled wall 402, a rubber rim 105 and handles 106 can be seen.

In some embodiments of the invention, the rubber rim may be removably connected to the wide-front side of the inlet platform using a connector as depict in FIG. 5.

The connector 501 may comprise two sides. In some embodiments of the invention at least one side may comprise a male or a female rail profile adapted to connect to an opposite male or female rail profile of either the rubber rim 502 or the wide-front side of the inlet platform 503.

In a specific embodiment of the invention, the rubber rim 502 and the wide-front side of the inlet platform 503 each may comprise a male rail profile 504, 505 that in turn is adapted to connect to the connector's female rail profile 506, 507 and hence allow a versatile and flexible connection of the parts that may assist in collecting liquids and prevent flooding of the space under the apparatus.

In some embodiments of the invention the connector's female rails may be located opposite to one another and in other embodiments the rails may be located differently to allow other specific angles of operation.

In further embodiments of the invention, as depict in FIG. 6, the apparatus may further comprise a modular elevation leg or several legs. The leg or legs may provide stability and structure integrity to the apparatus.

In some embodiments of the invention, such a modular elevation leg may be attached to any of the elements of the apparatus 601, for example to the inlet element, to the outlet element or to the duct element.

In some embodiments of the invention, such a modular elevation leg may comprise a non-removable basic elevation module 602 and one or more elevation modules 603. The non-removable basic elevation module may be formed as part of the apparatus element or connected to is at any stage of the apparatus' usage. The modules may be comprised of any relevant shape, size and material.

Although selected embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments. Instead, it is to be appreciated that changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof. 

1. A liquid passage apparatus, for transferring liquid over an obstacle, comprising: a generally trapeze shaped inlet platform for allowing liquid to enter from the wide-front side, having two side walls for deflecting said liquid and narrow-back side for allowing said liquid to exit; a generally trapeze shaped outlet platform for allowing liquid to enter from the narrow-front side, having two side walls for deflecting said liquid and wide-back side for allowing said liquid to be disposed; an elevated duct connecting said inlet to said outlet having a front side in the same width of the inlet narrow-back side and a back side in the same width of the narrow-front side of the outlet; an attachment means allowing attachment to said obstacle, wherein liquid is shoveled to said inlet and disposed through said outlet.
 2. The apparatus of claim l wherein at east one of said generally trapeze shaped platform walls is a polygon.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising non-rigid connectors between said platforms and duct.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising rubber rim removably connected to said wide-front side of the inlet platform.
 5. (canceled)
 6. (canceled)
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising at least two lateral handles for carrying the apparatus.
 8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said rubber rim is removably connected to said wide-front side of the inlet platform using a connector.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said connector comprise two sides wherein at least one side comprise a male or female rail profile adapted to connect to an opposite male or female rail of said rubber rim or said wide-front side of the inlet platform.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said rubber rim and said wide-front side of the inlet platform each further comprise male rail profile adapted to connect to said connector female rail profile.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprise at least one modular elevation leg.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said modular elevation leg is attached to an element selected from the group consisting of: said inlet, said outlet and said duct.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said modular elevation leg comprise a non-removable basic elevation module and at least one more elevation modules.
 14. A method for transferring water over an obstacle comprising steps of: providing a generally trapeze shaped inlet for allowing liquid to enter from the wide-front side; providing two side walls for deflecting said liquid; providing narrow-back side for allowing said liquid to exit; providing a means for disposing of liquid in the form of a generally trapeze shaped outlet platform allowing liquid to enter from the narrow-front side and exiting through the wide back side; providing means for attaching to said obstacle, wherein said duct is elevated to allow placement of apparatus over an obstacle.
 15. The method of claim 14 wherein at least one of said generally trapeze shaped platform walls is a polygon.
 16. The method of claim 14 further comprising a step of providing non-rigid connectors between said platforms and duct.
 17. The method of claim 14 further comprising a step of providing rubber rim connected to said wide-front side of the inlet platform.
 18. The method of claim 14 wherein said obstacle is a rail of a sliding door or window.
 19. (canceled)
 20. The method of claim 17 wherein said rubber rim is removably connected to said wide-front side of the inlet platform using a connector.
 21. The method of claim 20 wherein said connector comprise two sides wherein at least one side comprise a male or female rail profile adapted to connect to an opposite male or female rail of said rubber rim or said wide-front side of the inlet platform.
 22. The method of claim 21 wherein said rubber rim and said wide-front side of the inlet platform each further comprise male rail profile adapted to connect to said connector female rail profile.
 23. The method of claim 14 further comprise at least one modular elevation leg.
 24. (canceled)
 25. (canceled) 